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6 MEKDELA AMBA
7 UNIVERSITY
8 COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCE
9 DEPARTMENT OF HORTICULTURE
10 EFFECT OF WEEDING FREQUENCY ON GROWTH AND YIELD PERFORMANCE
11 OF CABBAGE (Brassica oleracea var capitata L.)

12 A SNIOR RESEARCH PROJECT ONE SUBMITED TO DEPARTMENT OF

13 HORTICULTURE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCE
14 MEKDELA AMBA UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
15 REQUIRMENT OF THE COURSE SNIOR RESEARCH PROJECT ONE

16 BY ID NO

17 1. GEBRESLASIE GEYE …………… MAUR/0708/10

18 2. BEYENE ASNAKEW…………...…MAUR/0604 /10

19 3. GASHAYE LEMA………………....MAUR/0704 /10

20 4. MULUGETA REGU………………..MAUR/0849/10

21 5. HAILEMARAIM BEZABIH………..MAUR/0738/10

22

23 JANUARY 2020

24 TULU AWLIA, ETHIOPIA

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26 Table of Contents
27 LIST OF FIGURE.................................................................................................................................................I
28 Acrimony and Abbreviation.................................................................................................................................II
29 Executive Summary.............................................................................................................................................III
30 1. Introduction...................................................................................................................................................... 1
31 1.1. Statement of the Problem........................................................................................................................1
32 1.2. Objective of the Study...................................................................................................................................2
33 1.2.1. General objective........................................................................................................................................2
34 1.2.2. Specific objective........................................................................................................................................2
35 2. Literature Review.....................................................................................................................................3
36 2.1 Effect of Weeding Frequency..........................................................................................................................3
37 2.2. Economic Importance of cabbage.................................................................................................................3
38 2.3. Weed Biology.................................................................................................................................................3
39 2.3.1. Weed Classification....................................................................................................................................4
40 2.3.2. Weed propagation.......................................................................................................................................4
41 2.3.3. Dormancy of Weed Seeds...........................................................................................................................7
42 2.3.4. Weed Competition......................................................................................................................................7
43 2.3.5. Characteristics of Efficient Weed Competition..........................................................................................8
44 2.3.6. Importance of Weed Biology in Weed Control..........................................................................................9
45 2.4. Effects of Weeds on Cabbage........................................................................................................................9
46 2.5. Managements of Weed in cabbage production..........................................................................................10
47 2.5.1. Chemical method......................................................................................................................................10
48 2.5.2. Biological method.....................................................................................................................................10
49 2.5.3. Cultural method........................................................................................................................................11
50 3. Materials and Method.....................................................................................................................................11
51 3.1. Description of the Experimental Site...........................................................................................................11
52 3.2. Experimental Treatment..............................................................................................................................12
53 3.3. Experimental Design....................................................................................................................................12
54 3.4. Experimental procedure..............................................................................................................................13
55 3.5. Field layout and Randomization..................................................................................................................13
56 3.6. Data Collection............................................................................................................................................ 14
57 3.6.1. Growth parameters....................................................................................................................................15

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58 3.6.2. Yield parameters.......................................................................................................................................15
59 3.7. Data Analysis................................................................................................................................................15
60 4. Work Plan.......................................................................................................................................................16
61 5 .LOGISTIC/BUGET OUT LINE/...................................................................................................................17
62 6. REFERENCE.................................................................................................................................................20
63

64

65

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66 List of Table2 page No
67 Table 1……………………………………………………………….....................12

68 Table 2……………………………….....................................................................16

69 Table 3……………………………………………………………….....................17

70 Table 4……………………………………………………………….....................17

71 Table 5……………………………………………………………….....................18

72 Table 6………………………………………………………………....................18

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80

81

82

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83 LIST OF FIGURE page No
84

85 Figure 1 ………………………………………………………………… 14

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89

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94

95

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 98 Acrimony and Abbreviation
99

ANOVA Analysis of Variance

FAO
Food and Agricultural Organization
LSD Least significance difference
MASL Meter Above Sea Level
RCBD Randomized complete block design
Replication
REP
SAS Statistical Analysis Software

Statistical Division, Food and Agricultural

Organization
SDFAO

100

101

102

103

104

105

106
107

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108 Executive Summary
109

110 Cabbage (Brassica oleraceavar.capitata L.) is also known as Cool vegetable crops.
111 Ethiopia counted for 12% of the total production in Africa. Area, production and yield of
112 head cabbage in Ethiopia in 2015/2016 were 7,197.70 hectares,463,17.72 tons and 26.45
113 ton/ha respectively It is one of the most popular and widely growth vegetable crops in the
114 world. Therefore this proposal is to improve production and productivity of cabbage by
115 optimizing weeding frequency. Therefore, this study aims with the evaluation of effect of
116 weeding frequency on growth and yield performance of cabbage (brassica oleracea var
117 capitata l.) which will be conducted during the off season of 2020 GC at Mekdela Amba
118 University Tulu Awlia campus in horticulture demonstration site. The treatment will
119 consist of 4 treatments and three replications by using RCBD design will be tested. The
120 area of each plot will be 2.4m2 with 1.6m width and 1.5m length. The total area for the
121 experimental site will be 75.6 m 2while each plot has totally 20 plants and total cabbage
122 plant for the trial will be 240 plants. Data will be also collected on plant height, leafs
123 number per plant, Leaf width and Leaf length. The collected data will be subjected to
124 analysis of variance by using statistical software package. The treatment means will be
125 compared by using LSD at 5% probability level. From this study optimum weeding
126 frequency will be identified using the total budget of 5531.00 birr.

127 Key Words: Weed, Cabbage, Frequency

128

129

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130 1. Introduction
131 Cabbage (Brassica oleraceavar.capitata L.) belongs to the family Crucifer and it is biennial crop
132 with a very short stem supporting a mass of overlapping leaves to from a compact head. It
133 originated from wild non-headed type colewort (crambecordifolias) from Western Europe and
134 northern shore of Mediterranean.It has been domesticated and used for human consumption since
135 the earliest antiquity. It is cool season crop that is popular with gardeners and commercial
136 producers (Semuli, 2005).

137 Cabbage is also known as Cool vegetable crops. It is dicotyledonous biennial crop, but it is
138 grown as annual. Cabbage form several different head shapes: pointed, conical or oblong, round
139 or drummed shaped. Cabbage generally classified as headed which is round, oval or flat. Chinese
140 head cabbage is oval and flat, moreover it is loosely formed and light in weight. It is only head
141 cabbage that changes in leaf shape becoming wider because of the shorter petiole length with
142 increasing leaf position and thus cabbage acquired the developmental change in leaves (Rai and
143 Asati, 2005).

144 The plant was used for medicinal purposes to treat gout, stomach problems, deafness, headache
145 and hangovers in the early days(DAFAF. 2010). The entire plant can be consumed cooked or
146 raw as a salad. (DAFAF. 2010).

147 Cabbage is known for its nutritional importance and it is rich in mineral and vitamins like A, B1,
148 B2, and C. It is also know an appetizer, it aides digestion thereby help preventing constipation. It
149 also protects against cancers (Ruzawlahet al., 2002).Cabbage can grow easily under wide range
150 of environmental condition in both temperate and tropical, but cool moist climate is most
151 suitable (Rai and Asati, 2005).Total world production of all brassicas for calendar year 2012 was
152 70,104,972 metric tons (68,997,771 long tons; 77,277,504s hort tons). The nations with the
153 largest production were China, which produced 47 percent of the world total, and India, which
154 produced 12 percent. China and India used a surface area of 980,000 hectares (2,400,000 acres)
155 and 375,000 hectares (930,000 acres), respectively, to grow these crops; the total global surface
156 area used for cabbage and related Brassica crops in 2012 were 2,391,747 hectares (5,910,140

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157 acres). The largest yields were from South Korea, which harvested 71,188.6 kilograms per
158 hectare, Ireland (68,888.9kg/ha), and Japan(67,647.1kg/ha) (FAO, 2015). The five-cabbage
159
160
161
162 Producing African countries are Kenya, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria and South Africa and these five
163 countries have maintained the dominance of the sector throughout this period. Ethiopia counted
164 for 12% of the total production in Africa (SDFAO, 2010). Area, production and yield of head
165 cabbage in Ethiopia in 2015/2016 were 7,197.70 hectares,463,17.72 tons and 26.45 ton/ha
166 respectively (SDFAO, 2010).
167 The growth and yield of any cultivated crop is mainly influenced by genetically, cultural and
168 management factors (Jayakumar and Jagannathan, 2003). Among cultural and management
169 factors weed is many factor of growing crops, especially Cole crops including cabbage
170 (Jayakumar and Jagannathan, 2003). The presence of weed is one of the main factors reducing
171 yield in field vegetables production. It is caused by competition between crop and weeds for all
172 growing mediums such as light, water, and nutrients (Doberzaniski, 2004).

173 Cabbage Production in Ethiopia has a variety of vegetable crops grown in different agro-
174 ecological zones by small farmers, mainly as a source of income and food. Commercial
175 producers are also involved in the production, processing and marketing of vegetable. (Frezer,
176 2007). These crops are produced under rain fed and irrigation conditions. It is produced both in
177 cereals based cropping system and in monoculture. Largely cabbage is produced by irrigation
178 rather than rain fed. At present different crops are produced in many home gardeners and also
179 commercially in different parts of the country. But most of the production is by small holder
180 (Frezer, 2007). Cabbage production in Ethiopia is scattered in the high lands but the larger
181 production is found at the central high lands of the country (Fekaduetal.2006).Input and Supply
182 Enterprise) are in the importation of seed and this has influenced the national market(Frezer,
183 2007).

184 1.1. Statement of the Problem

185 Cabbage is one of the major vegetable crops grown in Ethiopia. Also, most highland area of the
186 country has suitable agro climatic condition for production of these crops Their growth and yield

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187 components are influenced by weed. This factors is commonly affecting the productivity of
188 cabbage by competing with light, nutrient, space, moisture etc. Weeding is one of the most
189 important problems for growth performance and yield of cabbage around the study area .farmers
190 are hindered to produce insufficient yield from the crop. This is due to limited information about
191 the optimum weeding frequency of cabbage. Because of this problem a great number of seedling
192 and high cost for transplanting and the seedling not grow uniformly. This condition is
193 determined the proper weed management, if the weeding frequency is high the seedling becomes
194 healthy, vigorous and high yield can be obtained under field crop production. So, this experiment
195 will be conducted to help farmers in exploring weed for improvement of cabbage, reduce the risk
196 of weeds, and improve sustainable productivity of cabbage.

197

198 1.2. Objective of the Study

199 1.2.1. General objective

200  To improve production and productivity of cabbage by optimizing weeding frequency.

201 1.2.2. Specific objective

202  To determine the optimum weeding frequency on growth and yield performance of
203 cabbage under field condition.
204  To evaluate different weeding frequency on growth and yield performance of cabbage
205 under field condition.
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207

208

209

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211

212 Literature Review

213 2.1 Effect of Weeding Frequency

214 The presence of weed is one of the main factors reducing yield in field vegetables production. It
215 is caused by competition between crop and weeds for all growing mediums such as light, water,
216 and nutrients (Doberzaniski,2004).Loss in yield and quality of the crop caused by weed
217 infestation depend on their plant population and stage of growth , in some cause delay of weed
218 control may result in 50% decrease of the production of cabbage and each day of the weed
219 presence in the field lead to the reduction of potential yield by 0.5-2%(Doberzaniski,1994).Weed
220 is play an important role in the proper stand establishment of the growing crop, which ultimately
221 affect the productivity and quality at the end of the growing season. Weeding frequency will be
222 high after sowing to obtain optimal for plant height; number of nods and cabbage
223 heads(Doberzaniski,1994).The competition is increased weeding frequency is decrease
224 (Marshall, 2012).

225

226 2.2. Economic Importance of cabbage

227 Cabbage is an important vegetable crop and it is one of favorite crop grown in kitchen garden
228 because easy to rise(Grubben, G, J ,H 1999). It is also an important economical and rotational
229 crop in the major vegetable growing areas (Ali stribigge and Andresen, 2013). Head cabbage is
230 usually consumed as a cooked or stire-fried vegetable sometimes pickled. It also eaten fresh as
231 an ingredient coleslaw (a salad made of row sliced or chopped cabbage) and mixed salads. It
232 may be preserved by steaming and drying or by an aerobic fermentation in brine (sauerkraut).
233 (Grubben, G, J,H 1999)

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234 2.3. Weed Biology
235 Weed biology is the study of weeds in relation to their weed and geographical distribution
236 habitat, growth population dynamics and communicate communities. On the other hand ecology
237 of weed is the relationship between organisms and their environment. Weed ecology is thus
238 concerned with growth characteristics and adaptation that enable to weeds to survive change in
239 environment. The environment includes climate, edaphic and basic factors, and it determines the
240 distribution, prevalence, competes ability behavior and survival of weeds. Development of an
241 appropriate and effective weed management program is dependent on the sound knowledge of
242 weed biology and ecology (Mortensen et al, 2000)

243 2.3.1. Weed Classification

244 Weeds are classified into three broad groups based on lifespan: annuals, biennials and perennials.
245 In each group there are both broad leaf weeds and grasses (Rao, 2000).

246 Annuals complete their life cycle in a year or less. They propagate by seeds. Normally, they are
247 considered easy to control, but they are very persistent because of abundance of seeds which
248 continue to germinate and emerged seedlings that grow fast until conditions become unfavorable.
249 Biennials have a lifespan of two years. The first year’s growth may be purely vegetative and this
250 is known as rosette stage. The tap root is often fleshy and serves as a food-storage organ. During
251 the second year, a flower stalk arises from the crown; this is known as bolting stage. After
252 producing seed, the plant dies. Perennials live for more than two years and some of them almost
253 indefinitely. They propagate by seeds and underground storage organs like rhizomes, stolen,
254 bulbs, tuber, etc. Some of them strike roots when the nodes come into contact with the soil.
255 Perennials, with their remarkable capacity for both vegetative reproduction and prolific seed
256 production, are very aggressive and competitive weeds. Thus, this classification of weeds is
257 based only on their life span for one year, two years or more. This behavior is not always
258 constant, however, as the duration of weeds is sometimes determined by climatic factors.
259 (Jensen, 1971).

260 Many weeds that are annuals or biennials in severe climates may act as biennials or perennials
261 respectively in milder climates (Jensen, 1971).

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262 2.3.2. Weed propagation
263 Annuals And Biennials Annual and biennial weeds depend on seed production as the sole means
264 of propagation and survival while perennial weeds are less dependent on this mechanism.
265 Production of abundant and small seeds is a common adaptation that ensures a high probability
266 of dispersal and re infestation. A single plant of an annual weed can produce enough seeds in one
267 season to cover an entire area of one acre with this weed species next year. For example, one
268 plant of Sisymbrium altissinum (tumble mustard) produces over a half million (511,208) seeds
269 which are enough, if evenly scattered, to sow at least 11 seeds ft2 in an acre of land. Some weed
270 species have the ability to produce seeds between intervals of normal disturbance
271 associated with a crop situation. Avena fatua (wild oats) germinate at the same time the wheat
272 crop is sown and shatter their mature seeds before crop harvest. Many weeds can produce a large
273 number of vital seeds even after having been cut off soon after flowering. A few weed species
274 produce seeds through apomixes i.e. without fertilization. Weeds such as ferns reproduce by
275 spores rather than seeds (Rao, 2000).

276 Perennials Vegetative propagation is a common trait of perennial weeds. Vegetative propagation
277 includes rhizomes, stolen, tubers, bulbs, corms, roots and stems. Some perennial weeds
278 propagate in one or more ways. Aside from their remarkable capacity for vegetative, most
279 perennial weeds are also prolific seed producers. Their ability to produce both vegetative
280 propagules and seeds make them very competitive and aggressive in cropping systems (Walia,
281 2003). Even if the aerial parts of perennial weeds die, the vegetative propagules continue to live
282 and send up new growth, leading to flowering of shoots and production of a seed crop year after
283 year (Walia, 2003).

284 Weed Seed Bank The seed bank in the soil is the primary source of new infestations of weeds
285 each year. The species composition and density of weed seed in soil vary greatly and are closely
286 linked to the cropping history of the land. The size of seed bank in agricultural land ranges from
287 near zero to as much as 1 million seed m 2 (Fenner, 1985). Seed banks are generally composed of
288 numerous species belonging to three groups. The first includes a few dominant species
289 accounting for 70-90% of the total seed bank (Wilson, 1988). These species represent most of
290 the weed problems in a cropping system. A second group of species, comprising 10 -20% of the
291 seed bank, generally includes those adapted to the geographic area but not to current production

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292 practices. The final group accounts for a small percentage of the total seed and includes
293 recalcitrant seed from previous seed banks of the previous crop (Wilson et al., 1985). This group
294 undergoes constant changes due to seed dispersal by humans, animals; wind and water. Most of
295 the seeds entering the seed bank come from annual weeds. A characteristic of many weed species
296 is the potential for prolific seed production. Weeds present in agricultural fields usually produce
297 less seed due to competition from the crop, damage from herbicides and other factors (Walia,
298 2003).

299 Biodiversity of Weeds: In spite of using manual and mechanical methods for thousands of years
300 and adopting modern herbicide technology extensively for over 50 years, weeds have not
301 disappeared from agricultural fields. As man controls certain weed species, new weed species
302 always take their place. Even if control of a particular species is achieved, it is not always
303 complete; certain plants of the same species are left behind, so they can take control of the whole
304 field in the following year(s).In a situation where in total weed-free crop production is possible
305 for several years, a year of negligence or complacency in using an effective weed control system
306 could lead to the field once again being choked with weeds (Rao, 2000). One of the most
307 important reasons weeds are so successful, despite numerous and sustained efforts to eliminate
308 them, is their biodiversity (Dekker, 1997). Biodiversity is an inevitable consequence of the
309 struggle an individual weed species undergoes in the presence of neighbors and occupying
310 a physical space in an agro system. Biodiversity in weedy populations results from taxonomic
311 diversity, as well as diversity in those traits that affect the survival, mortality and reproduction of
312 individual weeds (Harper, 2010).

313 Persistence of Weeds Persistence is a measure of the adaptive potential of a weed that enables it
314 to grow in any environment. In an agricultural situation, the cropping system with its associated
315 habitat management practices determines the persistence of weed species and thus the particular
316 crop-weed association (Rao, 2000). A persistence weed species will not necessarily pose a
317 hazard if suitable control measures are applied. Persistence of a weed is largely influenced by
318 climatic, edaphic (soil) and biotic factors which affect its occurrence, abundance, range and
319 distribution. The occurrence of weeds in this universe is much earlier than field crops. In spite
320 of our best weed management practices, these weed plants are frequently seen to associate
321 with the field crops because of the phenomenon of persistence behavior of weed plants.

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322 Weeds possess the following mechanisms by which these persist for a very long period. Higher
323 seed production rate, asexual propagation, rapid dispersal, crop-weed association and continuous
324 use of single herbicide result in weed resistant (Rao, 2000).

325 Survival Mechanism of Weeds The seed is the primary means of survival mechanism of annual
326 weeds. The vegetative plant propagules such as buds, rhizomes, tubers, bulbs and stolen offer an
327 additional survival mechanism for perennial weeds. The major adaptations for survival of weeds
328 include prolific seed production, survival of vegetative propagules under adverse conditions,
329 seed dissemination and dormancy, and ability of weeds and propagules to resist any detrimental
330 effects of the environment. Of these, dormancy is probably the single most important
331 characteristic of weeds that enable them to survive when crops cannot (Walia, 2003).

332 2.3.3. Dormancy of Weed Seeds

333 Dormancy is a type of resting stage for the seeds. Seeds which lie in the soil, alive but got
334 germinating are said to be dormant. Seeds of most weed species possess this ability. Indeed,
335 plants which lack it can only become weeds if they are repeatedly reintroduced, or can survive
336 by their perennial habit and vegetative spread (Walia, 2003). Dormancy, which enables the
337 species to survive husbandry control methods, is thus a major factor in the success of many
338 weeds and of paramount importance to annuals. Seeds of weed species of Boraginaceae,
339 Convolvulaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Leguminoseae and Gramineae families have a long
340 dormancy period often running into several years (Jayakumar and Jagannathan, 2003).

341 There three types weed seed dormancy, those are Innate dormancy:- some seeds are dormant
342 when they leave the parent plant. This primary dormancy is a property of the seed, and is
343 genetically controlled e.g. Avena fatua and Avena indoviciana. The type of dormancy is
344 characterized by: (i)rudimentary embryos (ii) physiologically immature embryos resulting from
345 inactive enzyme systems (iii) mechanically resistant seed coats which prevent embryo from
346 expansion (iv) impermeable seed coats preventing entry of water or gases and (v) excessive
347 presence of inhibitors, Induced dormancy: - seeds which ordinarily would germinate
348 immediately if planted under favorable conditions may be thrown into dormancy by an
349 unfavorable environment so that they will not germinate even when conditions become
350 favorable, and enforced dormancy: - seeds may be prevented from germination by various
351 environmental factors such as lack of moisture, oxygen or low temperature. When the external

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352 limitation is removed, as in seeds brought to the surface by ploughing, the germination occurs
353 (Walia, 2003).

354 2.3.4. Weed Competition

355 Weed competition with crops is a part of weed ecology. The word competition comes from the
356 Latin word competere, which means to ask or sue for the same things another does. Competition
357 in ecology involves two or more organisms seeking for a particular factor, thing or material when
358 they are in short or limited supply. Weed competition is complicated because various factors
359 affect the extent to which it occurs. (Rao, 2000). It affects the growth of crop plants. The total
360 effect of the competition as reflected in crop growth and yield results from competition for
361 nutrients, moisture and sunlight (Chiska, 1977). As a general rule, for every unit of weed growth
362 there will be one less unit of crop growth. The plants that germinate first and grow fast tend to
363 exclude others. The first plants that occupy an area have an advantage over the late comers. If
364 weeds emerge after the crop is well established, they may not pose as serious a problem as those
365 that emerge before the crop plants emerge and establish. Competition between plants is
366 maximum when available resources for crop growth become limiting (Chiska, 1977).
367 Competition between crops and weeds is most severe when the competing plants have similar
368 vegetative habits and demands upon resources (Rao, 2000).

369 Many weeds are prolific producers of seeds which remain viable or dormant in the soil
370 depending on the adaptive mechanism used. When the soil is disturbed by tillage, weed seed
371 germination takes place and the weeds emerge before or along with the emergence of crop
372 plants. A vigorous crop can enjoy a temporary competitive advantage over weeds, but this
373 advantage is lost in the absence of timely and proper control measures. Thus, dominance of a
374 habitat by crop or weeds is dependent on the rapidity of germination, seedling establishment and
375 subsequent growth. Differences in photosynthetic area, root development, root growth etc,
376 determine the competitiveness of plants (Isikawa and Fujii, 2005).The degree of weed
377 competition is determined by the weed species infesting the area, density of infestation and
378 duration of infestation.

379 2.3.5. Characteristics of Efficient Weed Competition

380 The growth and yield of a plant are directly related to its efficiency to assimilate car
381 bon by photosynthesis, which is dependent on many physiological and environmental factors.

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382 Black et a., (2010) classified plants as efficient and non-efficient on the basis of Response to
383 light intensity , response to temperature, response to oxygen, presence or absence of
384 photorespiration , pathway of photosynthetic carbon dioxide assimilation and photosynthetic
385 compensation point level. Black et al., (2010) hypothesized that efficient plants are used in
386 agriculture because of their high production and competitiveness. Efficient plant fixes carbon
387 even at higher light intensity levels and temperatures, while non-efficient ones cannot do so. In
388 efficient plants, photosynthesis is not inhibited by oxygen. At normal oxygen concentration
389 (21%), photosynthesis is inhibited in non -efficient plants.

390 2.3.6. Importance of Weed Biology in Weed Control

391 The effective use of control measures, whether cultural or chemical, requires an appreciation of
392 the biological characteristics of weed concerned. Correct identification of the species present is
393 the first step, before appropriate control methods could be selected. The time of year at which
394 germination occurs is important in relation to control by cultivation and crop competition. Where
395 the germination period is restricted, it may be possible to take advantage of this in planning the
396 crop sequence so that competition during the early stages of crop growth is avoided. Periodicity
397 of germination of weeds must be taken into consideration in deciding when to apply herbicides.
398 It is useless to apply a relatively non -persistent pre-emergence treatment or a contact herbicide
399 before the species to be controlled has begun to germinate, and too early application during the
400 germination period is followed by the emergence of sufficient undamaged seedlings to constitute
401 a weed problem. Depth of germination is an important consideration when planning cultivations
402 aimed at depleting the weed seed content of the soil by stimulating germination and destroying
403 the resulting seedlings (Bhowmik, 1993).

404

405 2.4. Effects of Weeds on Cabbage

406 The presence of weeds is one of the main factors reducing yield in field vegetables production. It
407 is caused by competition between crop and weeds for all growing mediums such as light; water;
408 nutrients; (Dobrezaniski; 2004).Losses in yield and quality to the crop caused by weed
409 infestation depends on their species. Plant population and stage of growth on some cause delay
410 of weed control may result in 50% decrease of the yield by 0.1-2%; (Dobrazaski; 1994).
411 According to Baumann et al; 1993: Oath and Hulsrnberg; 2011: brassica crop grow in from

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412 transplanting are considered as the group of vegetables which are moist tolerant to weed
413 infestation; especially in the second part of the growing period.

414 Till now the literature does not proved the strict information about the period of weed infestation
415 for this species. The only expectation is weavers work; 1984: indicating that the period of the
416 highest sustainable of their species for weeds lies between third and fifth weed of cultivation in
417 smaller head says and decrease of internal head quality. Because of the fact that weeds produce a
418 lot of biomass they are very competitive for nutrients; (Dobrezaniski; 2003). Among which
419 nitrogen is critical importance. Therefore cabbage is recognized as a demanding species
420 regarding nutrition. The appropriate fertilization of Nitrogen is especially important on the other
421 hand over fertilization with nitrogen can domination the quality of cabbage yield as the result of
422 high nitrates accumulation.

423 2.5. Managements of Weed in cabbage production

424 The main concept of weed control management, generally preventive (prophylactic and curative
425 measure are the two broad concept) of controlling pest and disease. The curative measure applies
426 method to kill the pest or causal and this bring them under control. In weed science it may
427 includes control as well as eradication, those prevention and reduction were used to three basic
428 concept of weed control earlier. However management is another concept a far runner among
429 weed control approach in recent year and conceded to be most desired approach in modern era.
430 Thus control (management of weed has several facts) such as mechanical and manual, cultural,
431 ecological cropping and completion biological, chemical and allelophathy, (Zimdahl, 1999).
432 Animal grazing companies using goats to control and eradicate leafy spurge knap weed and other
433 toxic weeds have sprouted across the American west countries.

434 2.5.1. Chemical method

435 Chemical weed control method involves the use of herbicides control weeds either by speeding
436 up, stop or changing the weeds normal growth patterns. This affects the weed by drying out the
437 leaves or stems or making it drops its leaves. The type of herbicide is sometimes the only cost
438 effective control methods in bush land areas, particularly when funding is scarce. In many cases
439 a weed is only susceptible to one specific herbicide and it is important to use the correct product
440 and application rate for control of that particular; Selective herbicide (foliage and soil active),
441 soil sterialiant and soil fumigant (Kolbe, 2007).

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442 2.5.2. Biological method
443 Biological control is defined as “the control of an organism (weeds, insects or pathogens in
444 agriculture) employing another living organism to a population lower than what naturally occurs
445 in the absence of introduced/employed organism” (Gupta, 1998). They have just prey-predator
446 relationship. The biological agents normally employed for the purpose could be parasites,
447 predators (insects, mites), pathogens (fungi, bacteria, viruses), deleterious Rhizobacteria(DRB),
448 herbivorous fish, other animals (ducks and geese, snails) and botanical agents (competitive
449 plants, crops or weeds) as applicable under a situation.

450 2.5.3. Cultural method

451 Organic farmers recognize that every element of farming is inter linked and that good rotational
452 design produces healthy soil, healthy plants and good yields. Crop rotation is the corner stone of
453 organic farming practice rotation and forward planting are also important for managing weeds in
454 this section we provide information on cultural methods aimed at preventing weed problems
455 arising in the first place and which farmers and grow are can plan to incorporate in to their
456 rotations. We have provided sections on crop issues including ; fertility building ,the use of
457 manures, the use of inter crops and under sowing as well as the strategic use of following crop
458 management including choosing varieties, seed rate and crop spacing and crop establishment
459 (Hakansson,2003).

460 3. Materials and Method

461 3.1. Description of the Experimental Site
462 The experiment will be conducting at Mekdela Amba University College of Agricultures and
463 Natural Resource (MAUAGR) and Department of Horticulture Demonstration Site (nursery site)
464 that found at Legambo district in the year of 2020 cropping season under irrigation condition.
465 Legambo District, North Easter region of Ethiopia locating 501km from Addis Ababa (11’00°E
466 and 39’00°N) longitude and also altitude of 1500-3700 meters above sea level (m.a.s.l). It is
467 bordered by Lagahida and Kalala in the south, Borena in the west, Dessie Zuria in the northeast
468 and Warailu in the southeast. The administrative center of the district is Akesta (CSA, 2008).
469 The maximum and minimum temperature is 13 oc and 15oc respectively. Topographically, the
470 area is plain for about 7%, corrugated land for 44%, mountain for 22% and 27% is valley. The
471 climatic condition of the district is approximately 2.6 % Wurchi, 48.4 % Dega (high land) and
12
472 about 49 % is Weina Dega (midland) (CSA, 2008). It has approximately 100040 hectare of land
473 size from this cultivated land approximately 44058 hectare, forest covered 13512.92 hectare,
474 government owned land 1885 hectare, for cooperatives around 10584.02 hectare, institutional
475 occupied 214.5 hectare, grazing land is about 3823 hectare, 24800.08 hectare covered by shrubs,
476 3200 hectare is covered by house, and 2000 hectare are water covered. The annual rain fall of the
477 area is estimated to be 700-1200 mm. The soil of the area is dominant by clay loam and previous
478 crop of the experimental site was non-cultivated land(CSA, 2008).

479

480

481 .

482

483 3.2. Experimental Treatment

484 Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var capitata) Varity will use to conduct the experiment. The seed
485 will be obtained from horticulture department laboratory. The research will be carried out under
486 four treatment which are 1; Control (none weeding), 2; weeding once, 3; weeding twice, and
487 weeding three times.

Treatment Weeding level per days

T1 Control (un-weeding)
T2 Weeding once (30 days)
T3 Weeding twice (30,50 days)
T4 Weeding three times (30,50 and 70 days)

488 Table1. Number of treatments

489 3.3. Experimental Design
490 The experiment will be lay out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) which have four
491 treatments with three replications the four different levels of weeding and one control (no
492 weeding) have use as treatment and each treatment has three replications a total of 12 plots for
493 the whole experiments treatment has assigned to the experimental plot randomly. The space

13
494 between row and plant is 40cm and 30cm respectively, and the space between block 1m and
495 between plots is 0.5 m. The area of each plot will be 2.4m 2 with 1.6m width and 1.5m length.
496 The total area for the experimental site will be 75.6 m 2while each plot has totally 20 plants and
497 total cabbage plant for the trial will be 240 plants.

498 3.4. Experimental procedure

499 Cabbage seed will be sown in the nursery. The seeds are sown February 2020 in the seed bed.
500 After sowing the seed are covered by straw mulch and irrigation will conduct frequently until the
501 seedling fully emerged. The permanent bed will prepare and the lay out will arranged
502 appropriately. The beds are irrigated sufficiently before seedlings are transplanted to make the
503 soil suitable for that. After these the seed digs will be transplanted to the bed when they are two
504 to three pairs of leaves. In the bed plant are transplanted 40cm between rows and 30cm between
505 plants. The total numbers of plant in each plot are 20 plants with 4 row and 5 plants with each
506 row. The total amount of plant with in the experimental site are 240 plants seedlings are
507 transplanted in the permanent field and the treatment will be applied basically after 30 days of
508 transplanting and frequency of weeding is differing from one treatment to the other. The control
509 treatment no any weeding practice will be applied; the second treatment will be weeded only
510 once in 30 days after transplanting, the third treatment will be weeded two times at 30 days and
511 50 days after transplanting, and the fourth treatment will be weeded three times at 30 days, 50
512 days and 70 days after transplanting. All agricultural practices will be applied equally in all
513 treatments like fertilizer and others.

514 3.5. Field layout and Randomization

515 The block will be laid out by considering field condition to minimize variation within the block.

516 The experimental field lay out and randomization will be as the following:

517

518

14
519

520 9m

521 R1 0.5m
T1 T2 T3 T4
522 1m m 8.4 m
523 R2 T7
T5 T6 T8

T9 T10 T11 T12

524

525 R3

526

527

528 Figure 1 field layout

529 Notes; T1=Control (Un-weeding) R1=Replication one

530 T2=Weeding once (30 days) R2=Replication two

531 T3=Weeding twice (30, 50 days) R3=Replication three

532 T4= Weeding three times (30, 50 and 70 days)

533

534

535 3.6. Data Collection

536 To evaluate the effect of weed frequency on growth and yield parameters of cabbage such as
537 height of the plant, leaf length, head diameter etc. All data will be collected from central row and

15
538 at middle random selected plant because to reduce border effect of plants and data will be
539 collected based on the following parameters.

540 3.6.1. Growth parameters

541 Plant height (cm):-The height of the plant will measure by placing of ruler from ground level to
542 the tip of the outer longest leaf individual plant. Thus the means of five selected plants from a
543 plot will recorded.

544 Number of leaves per plant: - The number of loose leaves per plant will counted and then the
545 mean of five plants per plot will recorded.

546 Leaf length (cm):-The length of the leaf will measured by placing a ruler from leaf base to the
547 tip of the leaf of an individual plant and then recorded. The average of the selected five plants
548 per plot will recorded.

549 Leaf width (cm):-The width of the leaves of an individual plants will measured by ruler in
550 horizontal of a leaf. The mean of five randomly selected plants will record.

551 3.6.2. Yield parameters

552 Head diameter (cm):-Three cabbage heads from the selected five plants will measure by caliper
553 horizontally.

554 Fresh weight (gm/plant):-At the time of harvesting from the selected five plants by taking three
555 heads and then measured by sensitive balance in laboratory.

556 Dry weight (gm):- Taking one plant per plot and chopping then after the sample will at 120 0c
557 and dry mass will measure by sensitive balance.

558 3.7. Data Analysis

559 The data on different growth and yield parameters will subject to the analysis of variance
560 (ANOVA) by using SAS and hand calculator, after the data were checked for meeting the
561 various ANOVA assumptions. Means were compared by using LSD value at 5% significance.

562

563

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564

565

566 4. Work Plan

567 Table 2 work plan

Activity January February March April May June

Proposal title selection Xx

Develop proposal Xx
Research design Xx

Field work Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx

Seed preparation and Xx

fertilizer purchase
Site selection Xx

Land preparation Xx
Sowing Xx

Weeding Xx Xx Xx

Pest and disease control Xx Xx Xx Xx

Data collection Xx Xx Xx XX

Data analysis Xx

Report writing Xx

Presentation Xx

568
569

17
570 5 .LOGISTIC/BUGET OUT LINE/

571 Table 3 Main expenses

No. Item Unit of Quantity Individual Total cost
measurement cost (birr)
1 Cabbage seed Kg 1 25.00 25.00
2 DAP fertilizer Kg 10 25.00 250.00
and urea
Sub total 275.00
572 5.2. Stationery cost

573 Table 4
No. Item Unit of Quantity Cost of Total cost
measurement individual
1 Paper Packet 1 250.00 300.00
2 Pen Number 5 10.00 50.0
4 Pencil Number 2 3.00 6.00
5 Ruler Number 1 20.00 20.00

6 Print Page 25 3.00 75.00

7 Copy Page 50 1.00 50.00

8 Flash Number 1 280.00 280.00

9 Marker Number 2 15.00 30.00

10 Watering Number 2 50 100

cane
Total 911.00
574

575

576

18
577

578

579

580

581 5.3 Personal cost

582 Table 5
No. Activity No of labor Duration no Payment pay Total price
of day
1 Land 5 2 60.00 600.00
cleaning/
preparation
and bed
preparation
/labeling
2 Bed 3 1 60.00 180.00
preparation
3 Watering and 1 60 50.00 3000.00
Keeping
4 Weeding 1 5 60.00 300.00

Total 4020.00
583

584

585

586 5.4 Budget Summary

587 Table 6
No. Description Summery (Birr)
1 Stationary cost 911.00

2 Personal cost 4320.00

19
 3 Contingency (5%) 500.00

Total 5531.00
588

589

20
590 6. REFERENCE
591

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